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Houssem Aouar

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Trilly

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Those are Özil-like defensive numbers. But hopefully, his ball retention ability helps him to stand out.
This graph actually comes from an article that compares him to Özil and Mesut scored 80 for ball retention....

It probably just shows that Mesut’s ball retention is simply elite, 50 is still a very respectable score.
 

Trilly

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Havertz has done bits since he's been 17 and is still a lot younger than Aouar.
He's also absolutely complete without real weakness and freakin fast.

Really hope he does not turn out to be as good as I fear he will - thankfully, I could see him having a year for adaption first.
I worry that he’s going to be another Hazard type for Chelsea. Dominate the league for a few years before one of the super teams save us from him. :lol:

He’s a bit lanky though so I also think/hope he’ll struggle initially.
 
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Moah

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This graph actually comes from an article that compares him to Özil and Mesut scored 80 for ball retention....
Well then, lets hope he is a workhorse cause we won't be any good using a player like this in deeper positions than Özil.
 

Blood on the Tracks

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I'd be shocked if 10% of this forum has watched Aouar play semi regularly. Youtube compilations aren't a way to judge anything, nor are 1 or 2 big Champions League games.

Maybe he'd be a great signing for us, I don't know. It's shiny new toy syndrome with Aouar on here at the moment though.

If we do sign him the same people who are creaming over him at the moment will be slaughtering him for being lazy and not being able to tackle within 6 months.
 
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Camron

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I'd be shocked if 10% of this forum has watched Aouar play semi regularly. Youtube compilations aren't a way to judge anything, nor are 1 or 2 big Champions League games.

Maybe he'd be a great signing for us, I don't know. It's shiny new toy syndrome with Aouar on here at the moment though.

If we do sign him the same people who are creaming over him at the moment will be slagging him off for being lazy and not being able to tackle, within 6 months.
Agreed. Someone should host a watchalong of a few non CL matches so we can make up our minds.

@OnlyOne your place?
 

Finesse

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I'd be shocked if 10% of this forum has watched Aouar play semi regularly. Youtube compilations aren't a way to judge anything, nor are 1 or 2 big Champions League games.

Maybe he'd be a great signing for us, I don't know. It's shiny new toy syndrome with Aouar on here at the moment though.

If we do sign him the same people who are creaming over him at the moment will be slaughtering him for being lazy and not being able to tackle within 6 months.

Mentioned this earlier on. His stocks greatly rose during the CL campaign in addition to his displays for Lyon. Now he is the new thing to have. A very good player to be honest. However how does he fit into our midfield. This is how objective and strategically we should look at our prospects. Not only the price tag / youtube vidoes......We have a 3 man midfield combo that has worked and won us big games over the last few months. Can Aouar provide the same defensive structure and work rate required from the midfield ? Of course Aouar is more offensive and rightly so. What do we lose as we look to gain an offensive advantage. Is this not why many think Özil was dropped? ( could not provide right balance of creativity and defensive work) Even Saka was left out to bring in Niles and keep the structure and defensive security. We relied on the front 3 for most f the creativity. We are not City in terms of application were Aouar may slot in. We operate differently and can he fit in , considering his play style , work rate and settling in time?

Buendia ( a player I prefer ) would stand out like Aouar in that Lyon team. He is relatively cheaper , gritty and strong and overall has the technical ability of Aouar. Adapting is not an issue and he is used to taking the knocks and doing his job.

I think we may not be fully comprehending Arteta just yet. He is not Ole buying and hoping they will come in and replicate previous club form. He has a system and players would have fit into it. We have deployed a more restrictive style to stop conceding and give away possession thereby taking lesser risks. We have conceded far less and that has been the basis of our new form. Not the other way round. Is he confident enough we no have what it takes to go offensive and build another system ? It is a 3-4 year project and this is just his first full season. Do we build on the solid defensive structure and progress / transition / phase into an attacking/possession team ?
 

tap-in

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I'd be shocked if 10% of this forum has watched Aouar play semi regularly. Youtube compilations aren't a way to judge anything, nor are 1 or 2 big Champions League games.

Maybe he'd be a great signing for us, I don't know. It's shiny new toy syndrome with Aouar on here at the moment though.

If we do sign him the same people who are creaming over him at the moment will be slaughtering him for being lazy and not being able to tackle within 6 months.

I agree, I've only seen the odd highlight, not even a whole match. But then I haven't posted about how good he is, I'm just trusting you lot! :)
 

Blood on the Tracks

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I agree, I've only seen the odd highlight, not even a whole match. But then I haven't posted about how good he is, I'm just trusting you lot! :)

Hopefully if we do end up getting him, he's as good as everyone believes him to be :)
 

Finesse

Well-Known Member
It is apparent we have made inquiries but I really wonder how this can go any further than it is. Our main priority has been Partey for midfield and Gabriel for defense. We secured Gabriel because we moved quickly and the price is relatively good for a very sough after player.

With Partey , we need to trigger a release clause. We know that and now trying to get over the line with possible sales. Apparently we have shopped Douzi all around Europe to no avail. We are now resigned to the fact there is no real suitor than can command a considerable fee for Douzi to fund a Partey move. PSG claim we offered them Bellerin and this shows how we are trying hard to raise funds. Considering we have no other valuable players to put to the market , I wonder how we can fund Partey and Aouar deals. ( higher fee) It is just not going to happen.

We have to be realistic. Why would Kola , Papa , Mustafi etc want to leave. We are in a mid pandemic with a global economic squeeze. Why would any agent advice his client to move somewhere else for a lower salary? Anyone would stay put even if they dont play and remain financially secure. Wait for the next season hoping the economic situation may change and put them in place to get their desired wage if they move. Arsenal cannot shove them down clubs' throats to raise money. No one wants to pay a fee and no one wants to pay those wages. We should be realistic and forget about hoping we can use these fringe players to raise funds for transfers. When have we ever succeeded in this before. Mhkhi just got his contract cancelled because we could not get a fee and also more than happy to get him off the wage bill.
 

Kav

Established Member
I doubt we can afford him to be honest and we probably need Partey more than Aouar but we definitely can’t afford him either.

Without sales we won’t get either and if we get Ceballos I doubt we will go for him. Unless the owners want to prove me wrong and inject a 100m into our transfer kitty. :)
 

Macho

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When you look at Havertz going for 100M and Aouar 43M it’s ridiculous. Is Havertz that much better?
Absolutely.

We’ve had players like Aouar before tbh, I can’t say I am as high on him as most he wouldn’t transform us.

We would spend years trying to teach him to track back and defend and by the time he’s a finished article, he will be in his final year we will sell him for 15 mil for him to go win trophies with a giant.

Havertz is younger, more well rounded and athletically gifted - the only question is if he can settle in England/the league.
 

LeadFarmer

Active Member
I doubt we can afford him to be honest and we probably need Partey more than Aouar but we definitely can’t afford him either.

Without sales we won’t get either and if we get Ceballos I doubt we will go for him. Unless the owners want to prove me wrong and inject a 100m into our transfer kitty. :)

Kroenke will never inject any money... especially into this club out of his whole portfolio. There is a better chance of aliens kidnapping Trump than Kroenke injecting £1 into this club.

Kroenke just lost crazy money in building Rams new stadium. That stadium was supposed to cost $2.5B but ended up costing $5B due to COVID. Kroenke had to refinance his loan from 10 years to 30 years cause the payments are insane.
 
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Kav

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Absolutely.

We’ve had players like Aouar before tbh, I can’t say I am as high on him as most he wouldn’t transform us.

We would spend years trying to teach him to track back and defend and by the time he’s a finished article, he will be in his final year we will sell him for 15 mil for him to go win trophies with a giant.

Havertz is younger, more well rounded and athletically gifted - the only question is if he can settle in England/the league.
Teams pay more for potential than ability with younger players, much of the cost is inflated because the selling club factor in that the buyer will likely sell him at a profit later if he’s good.
I don’t agree with the logic but I understand why they approach it this way.

Put it another way, is he worth more than bale or Cristiano when they moved to Real Madrid? No? I don’t think so. That’s how you know that the market is crazy and inflation does not explain the disparity.
 

Macho

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Just think he’s an inferior nasri tbh, in terms of stature and the things he does well he reminds me of him, only not as talented.
We’ve been plagued with his type during our emirates years I’d rather we went with a different direction.

I’d rather we bring in players we need, he’s just a bit of a transfer darling at the moment and would be surprised if we shelled out cash to secure him outright.
 

AbouCuéllar

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I'd be shocked if 10% of this forum has watched Aouar play semi regularly. Youtube compilations aren't a way to judge anything, nor are 1 or 2 big Champions League games.

Maybe he'd be a great signing for us, I don't know. It's shiny new toy syndrome with Aouar on here at the moment though.

If we do sign him the same people who are creaming over him at the moment will be slaughtering him for being lazy and not being able to tackle within 6 months.

Interesting thing about Aouar is he seems to have had a superior season in pretty much every way the season before last, looking at his statistics on football reference. If he had kept building on last season (I know that the drop will have more to do with tactics/team personnel around him) then he might be the player people here are hyping him up to be but it hasn't happened that way.

I think he's a very good player but I don't think he's what we need, I think in the premier league he profiles much like a Ceballos with perhaps slightly better dribbling and athleticism but less defensive contribution. Really a perfect 8 for City and Pep is probably the right manager to try to see if he can squeeze more creativity out of him.
 
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